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amjone12's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really liked the themes in this book but sometimes they were a bit too obviously stated. Also the dialogue was unrealistic which annoyed me a little bit
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, and Racism
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Minor: Rape
beabookly's review against another edition
5.0
This book was lovely. Such a beautiful symbolism of the peach seed carving, and a fantastic display of family and how it has its difficulties but ultimately is powerful.
I thought the overall theme of family and love really struck home and stayed throughout the novel. Definitely plucked my heartstrings seeing how the characters interacted with one another based on their ancestry, lineage, past experiences, etc.
Terrific prose; felt very comfortable and homey. While reading, I felt like I was in the story. I felt the deep connection within each of the characters for the variety of reasons they gave.
I will have to reread this novel soon to annotate it.
I thought the overall theme of family and love really struck home and stayed throughout the novel. Definitely plucked my heartstrings seeing how the characters interacted with one another based on their ancestry, lineage, past experiences, etc.
Terrific prose; felt very comfortable and homey. While reading, I felt like I was in the story. I felt the deep connection within each of the characters for the variety of reasons they gave.
I will have to reread this novel soon to annotate it.
bsmith27's review against another edition
3.0
A pretty good story of a family through generations. It jumps between narrators which at times is a fault of the narrative. The main character is Fletcher a 70ish man who was a black man and a part of the civil rights movement. He dated a girl who moved away and she had a child who she gave up. Fletcher went on to marry and have 3 girls. 1 had a son named bo D who is close to his grandfather Fletcher. Bo D is struggling with drug addiction. Fletcher has lost his wife when his old girlfriend moves back home. It comes to light that there was a child given up and he wants to meet the family. The story also travels back in time to Malik who was kidnapped from his home in Senegal and sold into slavery. He was the start of a tradition of making monkeys out of peach stones. This is a theme throughout the book. A good story.
allbookedup1953's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
evelynritzi's review against another edition
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The Peach Seed is a multigenerational family story, steeped in its Southern setting. The plot includes three main interwoven contemporary threads - addiction, adoption and reconnecting with a lost love, plus two main historical threads - one centering on the Civil Rights movement and the brutal police response; the other goes back to 1800s Senegal, the slave trade and the origins of the family tradition involving monkeys carved from peach seeds. There’s plenty of complicated family drama. At times it felt a little too long but overall I enjoyed the reading experience. And bonus points for the rich, fully realised depiction of older characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, and Police brutality
donnalisa's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
smalltownbookmom's review against another edition
3.0
This was a messy, emotional, multigenerational African American family drama that spans decades and tackles tough subjects from intergenerational trauma, addiction, adoption and the Civil rights movement. The story alternates POV and timelines which made it a bit hard to follow on audio but overall it was a moving family story that was extra heartfelt read by the author herself. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ALC in exchange for my honest review!
meghan_readsbooks's review
Thank you Henry Holt for the review copy, MacMillman for the audiobook copy of The Peach Seed (with both formats, I read a good part of the book then added in some of the audiobook to hear the author read her work, both formats are great options for this rich story).
I really enjoy a character driven story that examines relationships, southern contexts, and brings in diverse voices and lived experiences that help reveal the impact of decisions, trauma, and context/events on individuals over time as well as over generations. The Peach Seed has this and it's a quickly engaging and moving story, one that drew me in with little details about the setting and time and people, and kept me engaged as the story unfolded. I have to say that Anita Gail Jones' narration really added to my not just enjoyment but more my appreciation for the book and her writing... This is a case where an author is the perfect voice for her work (it is evident indeed that she has voice training and a richly resonant storytelling style) and I am glad I had this format to hear her celebrate her characters and give them voice.
I really enjoy a character driven story that examines relationships, southern contexts, and brings in diverse voices and lived experiences that help reveal the impact of decisions, trauma, and context/events on individuals over time as well as over generations. The Peach Seed has this and it's a quickly engaging and moving story, one that drew me in with little details about the setting and time and people, and kept me engaged as the story unfolded. I have to say that Anita Gail Jones' narration really added to my not just enjoyment but more my appreciation for the book and her writing... This is a case where an author is the perfect voice for her work (it is evident indeed that she has voice training and a richly resonant storytelling style) and I am glad I had this format to hear her celebrate her characters and give them voice.